Method and apparatus for making hairpieces

ABSTRACT

Foundation fabric with attached hair strands is fitted over a heated human head shaped form. The strands are drawn by a vacuum to an erect position in which they extend away from the fabric at an abrupt angle. Liquid resin is applied to the bases of the erect strands by a syringe and is partially cured by the heat to tacky condition. The form is then heated to a higher temperature to completely cure the resin with the strands emerging therefrom at an abrupt angle. The form is hollow and has internal electrical resistance heating elements. When the form is made of a ferromagnetic metal, magnets are provided for securing the fabric to the form while applying the liquid resin.

United States Patent Heck [76] Inventor: Walter Heck, 5260 Schaefer Rd.,

Dearborn, Mich. 48126 [22] Filed: May 16, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 360,655

[52] US. Cl. 132/5 [51] Int. Cl A4lg 3/00 [58] Field of Search 132/5, 9, 53, 54, 56; 223/66; 43/57.5 R; 28/74 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,637,035 7/1927 Casey 132/9 1,993,144 3/1935 Kasdan 43/575 R 2,907,334 10/1959 LeMole.... 3,037,261 6/1962 Hess 3,081,780 3/1963 Cramer.... 3,189,035 6/1965 Heck 3,464,603 9/1969 Hunter 223/66 1 Sept. 17, 1974 3,483,875 12/1969 Trissell 132/5 Primary Examiner-G. E. McNeill Attorney, Agent, or FirmBarnes, Kisselle, Raisch &

Choate [57] ABSTRACT Foundation fabric with attached hair strands is fitted over a heated human head shaped form. The strands are drawn by a vacuum to an erect position in which they extend away from the fabric at an abrupt angle. Liquid resin is applied to the bases of the erect strands by a syringe and is partially cured by the heat to tacky condition. The form is then heated to a higher temperature to completely cure the resin with the strands emerging therefrom at an abrupt angle.

The form is hollow and has internal electrical resistance heating elements. When the form is made of a ferromagnetic metal, magnets are provided for securing the fabric to the form while applying the liquid resin.

23 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING I-IAIRPIECES This invention relates to the art of making hairpieces and comprises an improvement over the method disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,189,035.

As is brought out in that patent, a conventional way of making hairpieces is to thread strands of hair through a foundation fabric and to attach the strands to the fabric as by knotting. Thus applying the hair strands to the fabric is commonly referred to in the art as ventilating". A form having the general shape of a human head is then coated with a liquid resin. The foundation fabric with the hair strands ventilated into it is then firmly fitted over the coated form so that the resin extrudes through the fabric. The knotting and contiguous fabric become embedded in the resin. The resin is then cured to complete the hairpiece.

The foregoing conventional procedure is objectionable in that the portions of the strands of hair adjacent their knots tend to lay flat or nearly so against the foundation fabric when the fabric is tightened against the form. The result in the finished product is that the base portions of the hair strands are matted against the artifical scalp formed by the cured resin and embedded foundation fabric. This presents an unnatural appearance.

The object of the present invention is to provide a relatively simple, inexpensive method and related apparatus for making hairpieces improved so that each individual hair strand emerges from the artificial scalp at an abrupt angle thereby simulating the appearance of hair growing at an abrupt angle out of a natural scalp.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in section illustrating, a simulated human head form with a foundation fabric and ventilated hair strands applied thereto.

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the form and related equipment and illustrating a step in making a hairpiece.

FIG. 3 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary partly diagrammatic plan view of a foundation fabric with hair strands ventilated therethrough.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view on line 44 of FIG. 3.

- FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but illustrating a subsequent step in the method.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrating a subsequent step in the method.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a hairpiece made according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the interior of a hairpiece.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but illustrating a different form of head attachment.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a hairpiece having sideburns.

- Shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a form 10 having the general shape of a human head and being mounted on a base 12. Form 10 comprises a shell or wall 14 which defines a hollow interior 16. Wall 14 is made of a heat conductive material such as aluminum or a ferromagnetic metal, e.g. iron or steel. Wall 14 has an exterior surface portion 18 which encompasses the area which isutilized in shaping and curing a hairpiece. Surface 18 is relatively smooth to avoid forming a mechanical bond with the resin material contacting it in liquid form and thereafter cured to form-retaining condition. Wall 14 has an interior surface portion 20, the area of which generally underlies that of exterior wall portion 18.

Means are provided for heating interior surface 20 and in the illustrated form of the invention this means comprises a plurality of loop-type electrical resistance heating elements 22 and 24. These elements are mounted on a support 26 within a bottom portion 28 of wall 14, the support being mounted on base 12. Electric current is furnished to the heating elements by circuitry represented at 30 which includes a .rheostat or equivalent control 32 adjustable by a handknob 34.

Knob 34 has a finger 36 which points to temperature calibrations on a conventional dial (not shown) in different rotative positions of the knob.

As is conventional, a foundation fabric 38 is provided which preferably has an area somewhat greater than the area of the ultimate hairpiece. The fabric may be made of any one of a number of materials such as nylon, cotton, or silk. Strands of hair 40 are attached to the foundation fabric over the entire area of the ultimate hairpiece, leaving a peripheral band 41 of the foundation fabric to which hair strands are not attached.

-As is common in the art, the hair may be attached to or ventilated into the foundation fabric by looping an end of each strand upon itself, inserting the looped end through the fabric, around the fibers of the fabric and back through the fabric, and then drawing the loose ends of the strand through the loop to provide the knot attachment illustrated at 42. When hair strands have been ventilated into the foundation fabric throughout the area of the intended hairpiece, the resulting assembly 43 is ready to be applied to head form 10.

In the completed hairpiece the simulated scalp is comprised of foundation fabric 38 coated on both sides with a resin which in cured condition is flexible and has the hue of a natural scalp. In the form of the invention illustrated, the resin is of the type which is cured from liquid condition to form retaining condition by heat. A suitable resin material is a polyvinyl chloride compound of the type used to make various fleshresembling prostheses. Such materials are well known in the art and are commercially available. Satisfactory results have been obtained in practice of this invention by employing a polyvinyl chloride compound which cures partially to tacky condition at a temperature range of about to about and cures completely at a temperature range of about 350 to about 375.

The foundation fabric is fitted firmly over head form 10 with the hair strands disposed outwardly. When the head form is made of a magnetically attractive material, the foundation fabric is secured in place by applying a number of magnets 44 to selected portions of the outward side of the foundation fabric such as peripheral band 41.

Before or after the fabric is fitted to the head form the head form is heated to a temperature in the range of about 140 to about 150. In the illustrated structure this is done by turning control knob 34 so that its pointer 36 points to the appropriate temperature in said range indicated on the dial referred to above. Electrical current is furnished to heating elements 22,24 and heat radiated therefrom heats inner surface 20 of wall 14. The conductive material of the wall transmits this heat to outer surface 18.

Some or all of the hair strands are now elevated away from the foundation fabric so that the portions of the strands adjacent the fabric extend away from the fabric at an abrupt angle, this angle being illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4-6 as about 90. A preferred method of elevating the hair strands is to subject them to a stream of air flowing away from the head form and a preferred method of providing the air stream is by positioning a vacuum head near the head form as represented at 46 in FIG. 2.

Liquid resin is now applied to that area of foundation fabric 38 whose hair strands have been drawn upwardly by the air stream. The resin is preferably applied by means of syringe 48 having a body 50 which contains a quantity of the resin, a plunger 52, and a hollow needle 54 through the orifice of which (not shown) the resin is ejected when plunger 52 is depressed.

The resin is applied beneath fabric 38 as at 56 by inserting the orificed end of needle 54 between the fabric and surface 18 and depressing plunger 52. The resin is also applied through the needle to the outer side of the fabric, that is the side of the fabric opposite to that which is engaged against surface 18 as at 58. By this procedure both the inner and outer sides of the fabric, the inner and outer sides of knots 42, and portions of the hair strands 40 adjacent to the knots are coated with resin.

The resin very quickly becomes heated by surface 18 to a temperature in the range of about 140 to about 150 and becomes tacky as represented in light hatching in FIG. 5. The resin in tacky condition has sufficient body to retain the portions of hair 40 adjacent knots 42 in their abrupt-angled position relative to fabric 38.

When an area of the foundation fabric has been thus coated, vacuum head 46 is moved to draw up the hair strands from another area of the foundation fabric and resin is applied to this area in the manner described above. The procedure is repeated until the entire area within peripheral band 41 has been coated.

Since the resin in tacky condition will yield to manipulation the hair may be parted or otherwise styled after the resin has been applied.

The temperature of head form is now increased to a temperature in the range of about 350 to about 375, and this is done by turning knob 34 to position its pointer 36 at the appropriate temperature reading on the dial referred to above. The increased current in heating elements 22,24 elevates their temperature and this temperature elevation is transmitted to surface 20, through wall 14, to surface 18 and then to the resin. The resin cures completely in about 12 to 15 minutes time. Thereafter the resulting assembly is removed from the head form and the peripheral band 41 of uncoated foundation fabric is trimmed away.

Removal of the assembly is accomplished merely by lifting it off of form 10 since the resin forms neither a chemical nor a mechanical bond with surface 18. Hairpiece 60 is now essentially complete except for the addition of such details as tapes 62 (FIG. 8) or clips 64 (FIG. 9) for attachment to a scalp or existing hair. While only two tapes 62 and clips 64 are illustrated, it will be understood that as many tapes or clips can be utilized at whatever locations are desired or necessary.

In the complete hairpiece each individual strand 40 of hair is maintained by the cured resin in such a position that it extends out from the resin at an abrupt angle and therefore simulates the appearance of natural hair growing out of a scalp at an abrupt angle. This characteristic is illustrated in FIG. 7. It will be noted that the hair strands need not extend away from the simulated scalp at a angle and in fact, at some locations such as adjacent a part 66 it is preferable that in the completed hairpiece the angle be somewhat less than 90.

By means of this invention hairpieces of many different types and configurations can be made both for women and men and with and without such features as parts 66 and sideburns 68 (FIG. 10).

When magnets 44 are employed, they may be engaged against any convenient portion of the foundation fabric whether or not hair strands 40 have been ventilated therethrough. However, once a portion of the fabric has been coated with the resin, a magnet should not be applied thereto since it will flatten the hair strands under it against the fabric and cause the matting which the present invention is intended to avoid.

As a procedure alternative to that described above, head form 10 is first heated to a temperature in the range of about to about and then a coating of the resin material is applied, by painting, spraying, or the equivalent, to the area of surface 18 which will define the extent of the ultimate hairpiece. The resin is immediately heated and becomes tacky so that it does not flow away from its intended area. Foundation fabric 38 with hair strands 40 ventilated into it is fitted against the coated surface with peripheral band 41 of the fabric overlying uncoated surface portions of the head form. Hair is drawn upwardly and additional resin is applied to the outer surface of the fabric and to knots 42 by use of syringe 48 as described above.

If upon inspection, it appears that insufficient resin has been provided between fabric 38 and surface 18 by the coating step, additional resin can be injected therebetween by use of the syringe. After the requisite resin has been added with the syringe the temperature of the head form is increased to a range of about 350 to about 375 in the manner described above to completely cure the resin.

The alternative procedure just described has the advantage of being quicker than the first described procedure since much of the resin material can be layed down simply by painting, spraying, or the equivalent.

Also the alternative procedure is advantageous where a nonmagnetic head form is used since the tacky resin assists in holding fabric 38 in place during the step of syringe application of resin.

The two stage curing of the resin is advantageous in that it allows the operator to work close to head form 10 during syringe application of the resin while the head form is in relatively cool condition. Nevertheless, the resin anchors the hair strands in their erect position during this step. The head form is only heated to temperatures which would be unduly uncomfortable for the operator after all of the close work around the head form has been accomplished.

It is within the invention to use a resin such as polyester and polyurethane resins which air cure at room temperature. Such resins cure partially to tacky condition in about four minutes and cure completely in about seventeen minutes. Either the procedure first described above or the alternative procedure can be employed utilizing the air-curing resin. In either procedure, however, the step of heating the head form is omitted.

I claim:

1. The method of making a hairpiece which comprises,

attaching strands of hair to a foundation fabric by threading the strands therethrough,

fitting said fabric with said strands attached thereto against a form,

while maintaining said fabric against said form, positioning at least certain of said strands so that at least the portions thereof adjacent their attachments extend away from said fabric at an abrupt angle,

applying to the attachments of said strands so positioned and to the fabric contiguous thereto a liquid resin,

curing said resin and thereby securing said strand portions in said position relative to said fabric, and removing said fabric, strands and cured resin from said form.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said certain strands are so positioned by applying thereto a stream of air flowing away from said'fabric.

3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said stream of air is applied by positioning a vacuum head near to said fabric.

4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein said vacuum head is positioned near the side of said fabric opposite the side which is fitted to said form.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said resin is so applied by ejecting it from the orifice of a hollow needle positioned closely adjacent said fabric.

6. The method defined in claim 5 wherein said resin is so applied both between said fabric and form and to the side of said fabric opposite to the side which is fitted against said form.

7. The method defined in claim 1 and including in addition the step of coating said form with liquid resin prior to fitting said fabric against said form.

8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein in said applying step additional liquid resin is applied both between said fabric and form and to the side of said fabric opposite to the side which is fitted against said form.

9. The method defined in claim 5 wherein said liquid resin is so ejected by a syringe of which said needle is a part.

10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said resin is partially cured to tacky condition during said applying step by heating said resin to a relatively low temperature, and thereafter said resin is completely cured by heating the same to a higher temperature.

11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said resin comprises a polyvinyl chloride material, said relatively low temperature being in the range of about 140 to about 150, said higher temperature being in the range of about 350 to about 375.

12. The method defined in claim 1 and including in addition the step of heating said form and utilizing the heat from said form to cure said resin.

13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein said form is heated by utilizing electrical resistance.

14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said form has the general shape of a human head and has a hollow interior, said electrical resistance being utilized by providing electrical resistance heating means within said interior.

15. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said form is magnetically attractive, said fabric being so maintained against said form by utilizing the magnetic attraction of said form.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein a plurality of elements are provided which are mutually magnetically attractive with said form, said maintaining step being accomplished by applying said elements to portions of that side of the fabric opposite to the side which is fitted against said form.

17. The method defined in claim 16 wherein said form is made of a ferromagnetic material and said elements comprise magnets.

18. The method of making a hairpiece which comprises providing a form contoured to simulate the shape of a human head,

providing a quantity of liquid resin partially curable to tacky condition at a relatively low temperature and completely curable at a higher temperature,

providing a foundation fabric with strands of hair attached thereto,

heating said form to said lower temperature,

fitting said fabric against said form,

applying to at least certain of said strands a stream of air flowing away from said fabric and thereby positioning said certain strands so that they extend away from said fabric at an abrupt angle,

while maintaining said form at said lower temperature and maintaining said certain strands so positioned, applying to the attachments of said strands to said fabric and to the fabric contiguous thereto said liquid resin,

utilizing the heat from said form to partially cure said additional resin,

thereafter heating said form to said higher temperature and utilizing the higher heat to completely cure all of said applied resin,

and then removing the resulting assembly from said form.

19. Apparatus for use in making hairpieces which comprises,

a form made of a heat conducting metal and having generally the shape of a human head,

said form having outer surface portions adapted to be coated in nonbonding relation with a heat curable liquid resin,

said form having a hollow interior, electrical resistance heating means within said interior operable to heat interior surface portions of said form,

said interior and exterior surface portions being so relatively disposed that when said interior surface portions are heated said exterior portions are heated by conduction for curing a resin contiguous thereto,

and electrical control means co-operable with said heating means and heat conductive metal to heat said outer surface portions to selected temperatures at least up to the complete curing temperature of a resin contiguous thereto.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein said heating means comprises at least one looped heating element having portions disposed in heat transmitting relation to said interior surface portions of said form.

thereon. 

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said certain strands are so positioned by applying thereto a stream of air flowing away from said fabric.
 3. The method defined in claim 2 wherEin said stream of air is applied by positioning a vacuum head near to said fabric.
 4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein said vacuum head is positioned near the side of said fabric opposite the side which is fitted to said form.
 5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said resin is so applied by ejecting it from the orifice of a hollow needle positioned closely adjacent said fabric.
 6. The method defined in claim 5 wherein said resin is so applied both between said fabric and form and to the side of said fabric opposite to the side which is fitted against said form.
 7. The method defined in claim 1 and including in addition the step of coating said form with liquid resin prior to fitting said fabric against said form.
 8. The method defined in claim 7 wherein in said applying step additional liquid resin is applied both between said fabric and form and to the side of said fabric opposite to the side which is fitted against said form.
 9. The method defined in claim 5 wherein said liquid resin is so ejected by a syringe of which said needle is a part.
 10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said resin is partially cured to tacky condition during said applying step by heating said resin to a relatively low temperature, and thereafter said resin is completely cured by heating the same to a higher temperature.
 11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said resin comprises a polyvinyl chloride material, said relatively low temperature being in the range of about 140* to about 150*, said higher temperature being in the range of about 350* to about 375*.
 12. The method defined in claim 1 and including in addition the step of heating said form and utilizing the heat from said form to cure said resin.
 13. The method defined in claim 12 wherein said form is heated by utilizing electrical resistance.
 14. The method defined in claim 13 wherein said form has the general shape of a human head and has a hollow interior, said electrical resistance being utilized by providing electrical resistance heating means within said interior.
 15. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said form is magnetically attractive, said fabric being so maintained against said form by utilizing the magnetic attraction of said form.
 16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein a plurality of elements are provided which are mutually magnetically attractive with said form, said maintaining step being accomplished by applying said elements to portions of that side of the fabric opposite to the side which is fitted against said form.
 17. The method defined in claim 16 wherein said form is made of a ferromagnetic material and said elements comprise magnets.
 18. The method of making a hairpiece which comprises providing a form contoured to simulate the shape of a human head, providing a quantity of liquid resin partially curable to tacky condition at a relatively low temperature and completely curable at a higher temperature, providing a foundation fabric with strands of hair attached thereto, heating said form to said lower temperature, fitting said fabric against said form, applying to at least certain of said strands a stream of air flowing away from said fabric and thereby positioning said certain strands so that they extend away from said fabric at an abrupt angle, while maintaining said form at said lower temperature and maintaining said certain strands so positioned, applying to the attachments of said strands to said fabric and to the fabric contiguous thereto said liquid resin, utilizing the heat from said form to partially cure said additional resin, thereafter heating said form to said higher temperature and utilizing the higher heat to completely cure all of said applied resin, and then removing the resulting assembly from said form.
 19. Apparatus for use in making hairpieces which comprises, a form made of a heat conducting metal and having generally the shape of A human head, said form having outer surface portions adapted to be coated in nonbonding relation with a heat curable liquid resin, said form having a hollow interior, electrical resistance heating means within said interior operable to heat interior surface portions of said form, said interior and exterior surface portions being so relatively disposed that when said interior surface portions are heated said exterior portions are heated by conduction for curing a resin contiguous thereto, and electrical control means co-operable with said heating means and heat conductive metal to heat said outer surface portions to selected temperatures at least up to the complete curing temperature of a resin contiguous thereto.
 20. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein said heating means comprises at least one looped heating element having portions disposed in heat transmitting relation to said interior surface portions of said form.
 21. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein said metal comprises aluminum.
 22. The apparatus defined in claim 19 wherein said metal comprises a ferromagnetic metal.
 23. The apparatus defined in claim 22 and including in addition a plurality of magnets adapted to be engaged against a hair-strand-bearing fabric fitted to the exterior of said form for retaining said fabric in place thereon. 